Located at 27 degrees South and 27 degrees East, lies the Vredfort crater. It is the largest
verified asteroid crater on Earth. The Vredfort crater is located in the Free State Province of
South Africa. The crater is named after the town of Vredefort, which is located near its center.
The asteroid that created the crater is estimated to be one of the biggest to ever hit Earth. The
asteroid is thought to have been as large as three to six miles wide in diameter. The crater has a
diameter of 190 miles making it the largest known impact structure on Earth. The age of the
Vredefort crater is estimated to be around two billion years old. The dome in the middle of the
crater was originally thought to be from a volcano explosion, but in the 1990’s it was revealed
that it was the sight of a collision.
It took several steps for the asteroid to go from a giant flying space rock to a vast crater
on Earth’s surface. After being hurled through orbit past Earth’s atmosphere, the asteroid
smashed into Earth’s surface with the force of a thousand megaton blast. The powerful force of
the impact created numerous deep fracture in the underlying rocks. Rocks that were melted by
the friction of the impact poured down into these underlying cracks, producing ridges and
shelves of sturdy dark rocks which are called granophyre dykes.
The impact also caused what are caused shatter cones to be spread everywhere around the
collision. Shatter cones are fractures in the underlying rocks caused by a shockwave of force.
These shatter cones have a random pattern. These shatter cones were the tell-tale signs that the
Vredefort crater was caused by the impact of an asteroid. Shatter cones were discovered in the
Vaal river at Schoemansdrif.
The hills were created by the impact of the asteroid. The hills surrounding the granite
dome are made from layered rocks. The Vaal river once flowed through the gaps in the hills of
the crater. The river carved out trenches and deposited grains of quartz and pebbles. The river
also carried scarce amounts of gold through the region causing a mining explosion in the 1880’s.
However, the amount of gold concentration in the area was so low that it was eventually
abandoned in exchange for the gold mines I nearby Johannesburg.
Since 1937, the Vredefort crater has been being conserved and is subject to being
properly developed. The crater sustains an ecosystem containing open plains, mountains, and
ravines with numerous types of vegetation. Close to 100 plant species have already been
identified, including the world’s largest olive tree. The crater also boasts a community of birds
that include 450 different species. It is also populated with many butterflies and varieties of
wildlife including leopards. Local development owners are now discussing concerns that regard
sewage being dumped in the Vaal River and the site around the crater. The grant of prospect
mining rights on the edges of the crater has also sparked controversy about the fear of destructive
mining and the negative effects it may have on the crater.
The Vedefort crater has become so popular and filled with culture that it was named a
World heritage site along with 77 other sites in Africa. The crater is a jackpot from a scientific
point of view. There are hundreds of hidden artifacts from age old settlers including warriors and
farmers. It boasts thousands of paintings dating back endless years. The Vredefort crater is rich
in culture of Africa. It is said to demonstrate the combination of cultural and scientific
philosophy and practice. Vredefort offers opportunities to study, explore, and understand the
artistic cultural flares of the Batswana, Basotho, and Khoi-San.